The Alcohol Drinking Exception for Adults

A federal law commonly known as the Buckley Amendment protects
the privacy rights of college students. Without a student’s
permission, it is illegal even for parents to obtain copies of academic
grades, attendance records, medical records, or other educational
information. Parents can’t even find out if their students
have stopped going to classes, are under the care of a school psychiatrist,
or are flunking out of school.

But recent legislation has made one exception. The college can,
over the objection of adult students, inform their parents if their
students have been caught sipping a beer or even been seen in the
presence of other students under the age of 21 who are drinking,
although not drinking themselves because they serve as designated
drivers.

This is incredible. After all, adults age 18 through 20 can legally:

marry

vote

adopt children

own and drive automobiles

have abortions

enter into legally binding contracts

operate businesses

purchase or even perform in pornography

give legal consent for sexual intercourse

fly airplanes

hold public office

serve on juries that convict others of murder

hunt wildlife with deadly weapons

be imprisoned

be executed

be an employer

sue and be sued in court

serve in the United States armed services and give their lives
defending their country
and otherwise conduct themselves as the adults they are, both
legally and socially.

But these adults can’t legally consume an alcohol beverage.
They can’t even have a celebratory sip of champagne at their
own weddings.